Stokes State Forest Guide
Stokes State Forest covers 16,464 acres in Sussex County in the northwest corner of New Jersey, along the Kittatinny Ridge that forms the Delaware River border with Pennsylvania. It is New Jersey's oldest state forest, established in 1907, and it sits in a part of the state that still feels genuinely rural: small farms, dairy operations, and lake communities surround the forest, and the Kittatinny Ridge above them holds the Appalachian Trail. The New Jersey Division of Parks and Forestry manages Stokes, and the official site has current camping availability and trail condition information.
Stokes tends to draw fewer visitors than the nearby Delaware Water Gap or High Point State Park, which makes it worth knowing about. The combination of Tillman Ravine in the west and the Kittatinny Ridge in the east gives the forest two genuinely distinct personalities in a compact area. The ravine is intimate, hemlock-shaded, and best in early spring or after rain. The ridge is open, exposed, and best on clear days when the views extend into three states. A single day spent in both sections covers the best of what Stokes offers.
What to Expect
The forest spans a significant elevation range: the valley floor around Branchville sits below 500 feet, while Sunrise Mountain on the Kittatinny Ridge reaches 1,653 feet. Between those points, the terrain transitions from mixed hardwood valleys through pitch pine ridgeline to the open rock and scrub of the AT corridor. The western portion of the forest, centered on Tillman Ravine, is the wetter and more ecologically intact area. The eastern portion, along the ridge, is drier and more exposed.
Tillman Ravine is the standout feature and it is hard to overstate how different it feels from the surrounding landscape. Tillman Brook drops through a narrow gorge carved by glacial action over thousands of years, cascading over boulders under a canopy of eastern hemlock. The hemlocks here are old enough that the ravine floor is dim even at midday in summer. This is the kind of place that ecologists call a refugium: a microhabitat that survived the last ice age and still holds a community of organisms dependent on the cold, shaded conditions. The hemlock woolly adelgid, a non-native insect, has spread through New Jersey and threatens hemlock populations statewide. The NJ Division of Parks and Forestry has active treatment programs at Tillman Ravine specifically because of its ecological significance, but visitors may notice affected trees in the surrounding forest.
The Appalachian Trail enters Stokes from Delaware Water Gap to the south and continues north to High Point State Park. The trail follows Kittatinny Ridge for all 11 miles through the forest, with several parking areas providing trailhead access at points along the way. The Sunrise Mountain parking area is the most convenient starting point for most AT access in Stokes. The ridge walk connects to Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area to the south and High Point State Park to the north, making Stokes a natural middle section of a longer ridge traverse.
Wildlife throughout the forest reflects the northwest NJ mix of ridge, farmland edge, and riparian corridor. Black bears are present in the area; proper food storage at campsites is standard practice. White-tailed deer are abundant. The hemlock ravine draws woodland birds that depend on coniferous canopy, including several warbler species during spring migration.
Best Trails
Appalachian Trail (Stokes Section)
11.0 mi, One-Way, Moderate
The AT through Stokes follows the Kittatinny Ridge from the southern boundary (where it enters from the Delaware Water Gap NRA corridor) to the northern boundary (where it continues into High Point State Park). The trail is well-blazed in white and maintained by the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference. Most visitors access it at the Sunrise Mountain parking area, which puts you on the ridge with minimal approach hiking. From Sunrise Mountain, the trail can be followed north toward High Point or south toward Culvers Lake and the Water Gap. The ridgeline views throughout Stokes are consistently good on clear days, with the Kittatinny Lake valley visible to the west and open farm country to the east.
Tillman Ravine Trail
1.5 mi, Loop, Easy-Moderate
The Tillman Ravine loop starts at the Tillman Ravine parking area on Route 615 and drops into the gorge immediately, following Tillman Brook downstream through the hemlock canopy. The loop crosses the brook twice on footbridges, returns along the opposite side of the gorge, and adds a short connector back to the trailhead. The trail is short but involves some rocky, rooted terrain in the gorge bottom. After significant rain, the brook runs strongly and the cascades are at their best. In dry summer conditions, the brook is reduced but the shaded gorge remains one of the cooler spots in northern New Jersey. This trail is the single best reason to visit Stokes if you have limited time.
Stony Brook Trail
4.0 mi, Out-and-Back, Moderate
The Stony Brook Trail follows its namesake creek from the Stony Brook trailhead through mixed hardwood forest to Stony Lake, a small natural lake in the forest interior. The creek keeps the route interesting throughout, with multiple crossings and occasional cascades in the upper sections. Stony Lake offers swimming on warm days and is accessible to campers at the adjacent campsite. The walk back is through the same terrain; a point-to-point shuttle is possible with a second car at the lake.
Tower Trail to Sunrise Mountain
1.4 mi, Loop, Easy-Moderate
Sunrise Mountain (1,653 feet) hosts a stone pavilion built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s, one of several CCC-era structures preserved in New Jersey's state parks. The short loop from the parking area reaches the pavilion quickly, and the views from the open summit area on a clear day extend into New York State to the north, Pennsylvania to the west, and south along the Kittatinny Ridge toward the Delaware Water Gap. The pavilion itself is a pleasant stone structure with open sides and a slate roof. This is a reliable sunset destination for campers staying in the forest.
When to Visit
Spring (late April through early June) is the best season for Tillman Ravine. The brook runs high from snowmelt, the hemlocks are still holding their needles before summer stress, and the ravine is at its most atmospheric. Spring wildflowers bloom in the surrounding mixed hardwood forest. Mud on the lower trails is a factor through April.
Summer (late June through August) is peak camping and ridge hiking season. The Stony Lake swimming hole is active from late June. The ridge stays breezy in summer, making it cooler than the valleys below. The forest is heavily used on summer weekends; weekday visits to popular spots like Sunrise Mountain are noticeably quieter.
Fall (September through October) brings foliage color to the hardwood slopes below the ridge. The AT through Stokes sees increased thru-hiker traffic in September as the southbound hikers come through from Maine. The views from the ridge in fall color are among the best in the state.
Winter is viable for snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. The forest roads and some trails stay accessible in most conditions. The Sunrise Mountain area is a popular snowshoe destination when there's snow on the ground. Camping is available year-round, though facilities may be limited in winter.
Getting There and Logistics
The Stokes State Forest Headquarters is located on Coursen Road off Route 206, about 3 miles north of Branchville, NJ. The Tillman Ravine parking area is on Route 615 in the western part of the forest. The Sunrise Mountain parking area is accessed via Sunrise Mountain Road from Route 206.
The nearest major airport is Newark Liberty (EWR), about 60 miles southeast. The region is car-dependent; no transit serves the forest.
Parking is free throughout the forest. Camping fees apply at designated sites; check nj.gov/dep/parksandforests for current rates as of 2026. Reservations through the NJ State Parks system are strongly recommended for summer weekends.
Stokes State Forest borders High Point State Park to the north. The AT connects both parks, making a multi-day traverse from Delaware Water Gap through Stokes and into High Point a feasible long-weekend objective. For anyone planning a broader northwest NJ itinerary, Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area is about 20 miles south and adds Mount Tammany and river access to the trip.
Planning Tips
- Tillman Ravine is best after rain. A dry-summer visit is still worthwhile for the hemlock canopy, but the cascades are significantly reduced in late summer droughts. Check recent precipitation before planning your visit around the water.
- The Sunrise Mountain parking area fills on fall weekend afternoons. Arriving by midmorning or visiting on weekdays in October avoids the crunch.
- The AT through Stokes is a good section hike but requires a car shuttle between trailheads for any point-to-point route. The NJ Trail Conference produces good maps of the full ridge route.
- Hemlock woolly adelgid is an active problem throughout northern NJ. Do not transport firewood from home: firewood is a known vector for pest and disease spread. Buy firewood at or near the forest.
- Pack the 10 essentials for any ridge hike. Kittatinny Ridge is exposed and weather can change quickly in the afternoon.
- Veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities may be eligible for the Access Pass and Military Annual Pass for federal areas; see veteran benefits for the full picture, including what applies at state parks.
- Check current fire risk, water conditions, and trail status at checking conditions before you go before any multi-hour hike in the forest.
Stokes rewards visitors who slow down and explore both its ridgeline and its valleys in the same trip. Follow Leave No Trace principles on every trail, and pack out everything you carry in.